Released: May 22, 1992

Songwriter: Fred Velez Brian O’Doherty

Producer: Don Was

[Verse 1]
Maybe your daddy never held you like you should
Maybe your mama just held on the best she could
Every soul has a secret
Give it away or keep it
But yesterday's gone so tell me why

[Chorus]
You carry the weight, the weight of the world
It's breaking you down on your back like a boulder
Before it's too late, get rid of it, girl
Get it off of your shoulder
I know you've been used
But you got to lose the weight of the world

[Verse 2]
Maybe I haven't always been there just for you
Maybe I try but then I got my own life too
Every heart has a hunger
I'm not getting any younger
I got all the crosses i can bear

[Chorus]
Don't give me the weight, the weight of the world
It's breaking me down on my back like a boulder
Before it's too late, get rid of it, girl
Get it off of my shoulder
You know I've been used
And I got to lose the weight of the world

[Bridge]
It all comes down to who you crucify
You either kiss the future or the past goodbye
We could fly so high

[Chorus]
But we carry the weight, the weight of the world
It's breaking us down on our backs like a boulder
Before it's too late, get rid of it, girl
Get it off of our shoulders
We've all been used
And we got to lose the weight of the world
It's taking us down and the night's growing colder
Just blame it on fate, that was yesterday, girl
And we're just growing older
We've all been used
Now it's time to lose the weight of the world
The weight of the world [x2]

Ringo Starr

Best known as the drummer for The Beatles, Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey, 1940) also had a moderately successful solo career (with hits like “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Photograph”) and was the narrator for Thomas The Tank Engine.

His country-infused nickname emerged from a tendency to wear rings on his fingers.